Pallet for air-operated musical instruments.



A. A. PAGE.

PALLET FOR AIR OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. 1915- m. U MH Nfi Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I Patented Nov. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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A. A. PAGE.

PALLET FOR AIR OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 30, I915- EEEL- l nnnn ARTHUR A. PAGE, OF ALBANY, NEW' YORK.

PALLET FOR AIR-OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. *7, 1916.

Application filed October 30, 1915. Serial No. 58,813.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Anrrrm: A. PAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pallets for Air-Operated Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pallets for air operated musical instruments and particularly for pipe organs.

The pallets now employed in pipe organs have fiat surfaces with strips of felt thereon, each felt being overlaid with a piece of sheep skin which makes air tight contact with the pallet seat and, further, prevents noise. Imperfect seatings of the pallets cause what is known as ciphering or a continual singing of the tone. The principal causes of this organ trouble are moisture, which shrinks the skins on the pallets, and dirt and dust, which interpose between the pallets and their seats. A very small particle of dirt between a pallet and its seat, especially if the valve is a small one, will cause an improper seating and a cipher. This ciphering can only be stopped by either shutting off the stop, controlling that set of pipes, or removing the bung board, and often the pallet, to find the dirt.

The primary aim of this invention, there fore, is to provide a pallet which will perfectly seat and thereby reduce the possibility of ciphering to a minimum.

A further object of equal importance resides in a pallet formed to be dirt-proof and practically free from being affected by moisture.

Further, the invention resides in the salient features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary section View through the pallets, wind chest, grooves and pipe rack of an organ embodying my invention, the keys and their connecting parts being shown in a general manner; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken about on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective of one of the pallets; Fig. 4 shows a modified form of resilient or yieldable mounting for the pallet; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a cone pallet in operative position, its seat being in section; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a cone pallet inverted to open upwardly; and Figs. 7 and 8 depict pallets modified as to shape and showing embodiments of the invention.

Using similar characters of reference for corresponding parts throughout, the numeral 1 designates one of the keys limited in its pivotal movement about the balance rail 2 by the front rail 3 and back rail 4 and carrying on its rear end the usual form of sticker 5 the upward movement of which exerts a downward pull on the pallet 6 through the interposed bell cranks 7 and connecting trackers 8. The pallet 6 controls the passage or opening through which is'established communication between the wind chest 9 and groove 10. The pipes 11 are conveniently supported in the superposed rack 12 and communicate through passages 13 in the sound board 14: with the grooves 10, the perforated stop sliders 15 controlling the passages 13 in an obvious manner.

lVith flat pallets, an eddy or comparative calm is produced just over the immediate surface of the valve, as the air rushes past, which condition allows any particle of dirt or dust, even while the key is playing, to rest on the pallet. Should the particle locate near the edge, which is frequently the case, the pallet will not seat correctly and the consequential ciphering will be caused. Either the stops 15 will have to be shut off or the valve cleared of the foreign matter access to which is gained by removing the' bung board 16.

My improved pallet is designed to overcome this trouble and annoyance and to this end, the pallet is formed to have angularly related faces which engageithe seat 17 and extend up into the pipe chambers 10 inwardly from the seat. These faces of the pallet converge at an acute angle to each other and are finished with a polished or smooth surface, the felt and skin covering being applied to the seat.

The pallet illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is of elongated design, having long, upwardly convergent side faces 18, upwardly beveled, end faces 19 and end extensions 20 which are perforated at 21 to slide on the guide pins 22. I These pins depend into the wind chest 9 and carry the nuts 23 on which seat the coiled springs 24: for hearing upwardly on. the end extensions 20 to hold normally the pallet seated. The seat 17 is beveled about the groove 10 to conform with the acute inclined faces of the pallet and is covered with the felt 25 and an outer layer of skin 26.

The advantages derived from this improved pallet are manifold. The acute inclined faces eliminate all possibility of creating an air eddy. There being no eddy, dirt blowing up cannot cling to the skin as it is on the under side of the beveled seat and at an acute angle. Any dirt falling down does not touch the skin but slides off the smooth acutely angular faces of the pallet. Water or moisture does not have the same opportunity to warp the felt and skin as the valve or pallet seats over all the skin and felt. A. greater surface is in contact between the pallet and its seat owing v to the inclined faces and beveled seat.

In Fig. 4, a slightly modified form of spring mounting for the pallets is shown which, in lieu of having coiled springs encircling the guide pins 22. a spring 27 is provided which has one terminal bearing on the bottom of the wind chest and its opposite terminal exerting upward force on the pallet. The pallet in this instance is of similar design as that shown, in Fig. 1.

For individual pallets, used principally in the electric or tubular pneumatic action, a cone-shaped pallet 28, Fig. 5, is used having an acute taper and seating on the skin and felt which lines a downwardly flared opening 29. Other designs of individual pallets are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the valve 30 in the former view being of pyramidal design and the valve 31 in the latter illustration depicting a curved, acute cone.

In some instances, the pallets open upwardly and not downwardly as previously described. This type of pallet is shown in section at 32 in Fig. 6 and is covered with .the pad consisting of layers of felt 33 and skin 34, the flaring seat being smooth and polished. Thus, in either form, the under surface is provided with the felt and skin covering while the upper surface is smooth and polished, both surfaces being at an acute angle and practically in entire contact with each other. All possibility of ciphering is entirely done away with due to the acute angular relation of the faces of the pallets.

The invention may be used in any key or stop action in any organ from console to pallet, in player pianos, player organs or any mechanical pneumatic player in which valves are embodied.

As shown, the end extensions 20 are spaced from the top wall of the wind chest so that should any particle of dirt rest on the extensions it will not affect the proper seating of the pallet.

The terms pallet and valve are used interchangeably, and refer to any valve for controlling the passage or flow of air.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a wind musical instrument, a wind chest, a chamber connected therewith, a vertically movable pallet controlling communication between the chest and chamber and having converging opposite faces, a seat for the pallet having faces conforming to the faces of the pallet, one set of said facesv being downwardly directed, and a pad on the downwardly dlrected faces aforesald.

2. In a wind musical instrument, a wind chest, a. chamber connected therewith, a vertically movable pallet controlling communication between the chest and chamber and having converging opposite faces, a seat for the pallet having faces conforming to the faces'of the pallet, one set of said faces being downwardly directed, a pad on the downwardly directed faces aforesaid, the upwardly directed faces being smooth and polished.

3. In a musical instrument, a wind chest, a chamber communicatively connected with the chest, a valve for closing the communication between the chamber and wind chest, said valve having converging faces, a seat for the valve having faces conforming to the faces of the valve, certain of said faces being downwardly directed, and a pad on the downwardly directed faces aforesaid.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR A. PAGE.

7 Witnesses:

ALLEN C. Brown, MORTIMER COLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

